Beaten by the best
December 31, 2010to the senior championship semi-final, where eventual winners Kingscourt were their conquerors.
The Virginia side had a chastening beginning to their journey in the ACFL Division One - losing their first seven games on the trot. However, to their credit the team never threw in the towel and dug deep to scrape enough points together to secure their top flight status for another year.
Indeed that momentum they gathered towards the latter end of the campaign helped them peak at just the right time and an extended run in the senior championship was a timely morale boost to all involved with club.
Yet despite that the loss to Kingscourt at the semi-final stage still left a disappointing taste in Ramor mouths, as they failed to go one step further to reach the decider for the Oliver Plunkett Cup which they last held back in 1992.
In fairness, midway through the league few of the players would have hardly believed that they would be one of the last four team's standing when it came to the premier knockout football competition and club Chairman David McDonnell was fairly pleased when reflecting on the 2010 season.
"I suppose in general I would see it as a very good year for the club. Despite never playing too well, the senior team got to the semi-final of the championship and that was a big positive. We beat Lacken in the quarter-final but in the next game against Kingscourt we only really played for the first 20 minutes. I think we can learn from that and come back a better team next year," he said.
As mentioned already the league turned into a real dog-fight for the side as they lost their first seven games on the spin. Not many teams would show the mettle to overcome that mental damage but Ramor rallied together and kicked the losing habit to save their top-flight status.
"The league was a struggle at the start but every game we were missing about seven players and that is always going to make life difficult for you. We lost our first seven or eight games on the trot but I really didn't think we were going too bad because in most of those games we were just losing by a few points here and there. If we had our full team out and fully fit I would be confident we could compete with anyone in the county," he added.
The first of those defeats came at home on April 18 to Redhills on a scoreline of 0-7 to 1-10. It was a forgettable day for the men in yellow as they squandered several chances and slumped to a disappointing defeat. The team that started that day was:
Ramor Utd; Matthew Mc Weeney, Stefan Connolly, Micheal Reilly, Barry Fitzsimons, Donal Farrelly(0-1), Shane Gaffney, Gareth Daly (0-1) Anton O'Reilly (0-4,2f), James McEnroe, Emmett Daly, Raymond Farrelly, Philip Fitzsimons, Ronan Keating, Adrian Cole (0-1), Damien Barkey.
The team were missing several first team regulars through injury but there was also one more face that was missing. This was the club's first competitive game since the tragic death of Christopher Shiels the previous October.
The popular young man also represented Cavan at Minor level in 2009 his death was a massive blow to everyone involved in the club and indeed much further afield. The County Board have since name an U16 seven-a-side competition in his name.
Competitively things didn't get better for the side any time soon as the next day Cavan Gaels inflicted a heavy 13 point defeat on the Virginia men but after five more consecutive defeats their wait for points ended with a 1-7 to 1-4 victory over a struggling Crosserlough outfit on June 5. They then followed that up with another two impressive and hard-fought wins over Ballinagh and Denn.
It was during the Denn game in particular that the team rediscovered their scoring form, registering 16 points which came through Keith Soden (0-6f), Adrian Cole (0-4), Jack Brady (0-3), Aodghan Cahill (0-2, 1f) and Stefan Connolly (0-1).
Eventually a 2-13 to 1-14 win over near neighbours Cuchulainns was enough to secure their topflight status and McDonnell, who played for Ramor when they last won the SFC was pleased with that achievement considering their nightmare start.
"The league was very tough to us at the start as games were coming at us week after week and we were missing seven or so first team players. Obviously our form was a concern but what could we do; we had so many players missing.
"In fairness it worked to some people's advantage and the likes of Simon Cadden came on a lot as a footballer as they got a chance to play at the top level. We also got Keith Soden back who hadn't played with us in three years and that was of huge benefit.
"After the start we had, losing the seven games, I would have to say I was happy enough just to avoid relegation and we did that with a win over Cuchullains giving us enough points," he added.
The championship seemed to bring a new lease of life to the team and after two draws against Cavan Gaels and Ballinagh in the group stages a comfortable win over Lavey secured their path to the last eight of the premier competition in the county.
David feels the result against Cavan Gaels in particular was a boost to the squad's morale and gave them a feeling that if they perform to their capabilities they are just as good as anyone in Cavan football.
"Drawing with the Gaels was a good result for us but again we didn't play that well and I think if we had have been able to up it that little bit more we could have beaten them. Even still, the draw was a good result and it showed the team that they can compete with the best on their day," he said.
Coming out of the group in second place behind the reigning champions, Ramor were paired off against Lacken in the quarter-final. It was always going to be a close game but the Virginia men dug deep to pull off a 1-08 to 0-10 victory in Breffni Park on August 28.
However, their championship ambitions ended when a high-flying Kingscourt team beat them by five points in the SFC semi-final. After a promising start against the Stars, Ramor faded badly towards the end of the first half and it left them with a hefty task in the second. And although they went down fighting Ramor just couldn't pull it back and were edged out by 0-16 to 1-08.
"It's always disappointing losing a semi-final and it would have been great for everyone in the club if we had of got to the final but that's football. Kingscourt played well against us and ran away with it just before half-time. We were missing five starters even at that stage as we lost two to injury after the Lacken game.
"I think without a doubt that we can come back next year an improved team. We actually didn't play all that well in the championship and I feel there is a lot more in this team. It's just important that we don't lose the momentum we have built up and that we try to kick on next year. Our senior management of Kevin McDonnell and Ray Cole were both on the team back in '92 when we last won the championship so they know what it takes.
"I think providing we keep our best team and get everybody fit and playing well we can be as good as anyone in the county and that is the challenge for us," said the Chairman.
Away from the senior set-up, Ramor have been making a lot of progress at underage level in recent years and this year the Under 14's won their championship, while the minor team, led by county-minor Jack Brady, pushed eventual finalists Cavan Gaels all the way to a replay before eventually losing out.
Brady is arguably the most exciting prospects rising through the ranks of the club and he has already become a key part of the Ramor attack at senior level. He was also an integral part of the Cavan minor set-up and he helped them to an Ulster MFC semi-final by defeating Fermanagh 2-16 to 1-10 in Clones in the last eight.
The young man was in fine form and kicked 1-2 but their season was ended when reigning All-Ireland champions Armagh beat them by 1-10 to 0-11 - although Brady was Cavan's top scorer with five points.
The Under 14's fantastic victory was arguably the best part of the club's year. The talented young team were completely on top throughout their final against Lacken and notched some fine scores in their decider in Kingspan Breffni Park. Ramor went in at half-time with just four points to spare having squandered a number of chances but they ran riot in the second half and kept their opponents scoreless on their way to an incredible 0-18 to 0-3 victory.
"I would be very pleased with how the underage set-up in the club is coming on. Our U14's won their championship under the management of Leo McEnroe, Paul Glacken, James Bradley and Pat Connell and I would say that was the highlight of the year in the club. The minor team gave a good account of themselves drawing the first time out against Cavan Gaels and then losing out in the replay, while our Under 21 teams have been very strong in recent years winning two Division One's in a row.
"I think one of the club's strengths is that we have ex players involved with all our underage teams," stated the club chairman.
These really are exciting times for Ramor and the recently renovated club grounds give them a place they can be proud to call home for years to come. With the U21 conveyor churning out talent and titles in recent years, the likes of James McEnroe, Ray Farrelly, Damien Barkey, Jack Brady and several others look set to compliment a few older and wiser heads for years to come.
Ramor's SFC team of 1985 honoured
On the biggest day in Cavan club football the Ramor team of 1985 were honoured at the Senior County Final, marking the silver Anniversary of their great win. Ramor had an emphatic victory over Kingscourt on the day on a score-line of 3-10 to 0-7. The team on the day was; Francie Maguire, Kevin McDonnell, Conal O'Connell, Frank Comey, Niall Dolan (late replacement for John Mulvanny), Brian McDonnell, Kevin McNamee, Eamonn O'Connell (capt.), James Cole, David McDonnell, Paddy McNamee, Martin Lynch, Derek McDonnell, Sean Cole, Francie Tynan. Sub - Hughie Mc Namee. Team Mascot - Dermot Tynan.
Other members of the panel included; John Mulvanny, Gerry Hopkins, Paul Sheridan(RIP), Micheal O'Donoghue, Noel Mc Loughlin, Pat Gargan, Fr. Micheal Router, Padhraig Mc Evoy, Barry Kelly.
The team manager was Fr. Tom Mc Kiernan, ably assisted by P.J. Galligan and Sean Cahill. The recipient of the Man of the match award was Ramor's Brian McDonnell. Referee on the day was Michael Greenan.
The Chairman of Ramor at the time was the late Patsy Mc Donnell, who had four sons playing on the team that day and it was a great achievement for Ramor. Tweet
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